Wash-bench and step-ladder



J1 SJNELSON. WASH BENCH AND STEP LADDER.

(No Model.)

'Pajtentgd Apr. 1, 1884.

James 61 vii Taken.

n, PETERS. mwum n nw. Wastmginn. 0.1;

NITED STATES PATENT rricn.

JAMES s. nntson, or SPRINGFIELD, OHIO.

WASH-BENCH AND STEP-LADDER.

V SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 296,209, dated April1, 1884.

Application filed August 18, 1 883. (No model.)

To an whom it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, JAMES S. NELSOX, of Springfield, county of Clark.State of Ohio, have invented a new and useful Improvement in CombinedWash-Bench and StepLadder, of which the following is a specification.

This invention has for its object to provide a novel and efficient washbench or table capable of being converted into a step-ladder and ofbeing adjusted to serve as a support for the ironing-board.

To such end the invention consists in the construction and combinationof deviccshereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings,in which Figure 1 is a perspective view of theparts arranged to provide a verticallyadj ustable bench forsupportingawash-tub; Fig. 2, a perspective view, showing the partsconverted into a step-ladder Fig. 3, alongitudinal sectional View of theparts adjusted into position for supporting an ironing -board, and Fig.4 a

' vertical sectional view of Fig. 2.

Referring to the drawings, the numbers 1 1 and 2 2 indicate supportinglegs or standards of equal length, each pair crossing and pivoted midwayof their length by a bar or round, 3, which also serves as a connectionfor the respective pairs of legs' or standards. The ends of the legs areconnected,respectively,by bars or rounds'4, 5, 6, and 7, and the bar orround 7 passes through the end portions of two side pieces, 8, which areconnected at the other ends by a bar or round, 9, and between the barsor rounds 7 and 9 the side pieces are connected by broad strips 10 toform steps, while the ends of the side pieces which ex" tend beyond thebar or round 7, as at 11, are connected by a broad strip, 12, whichprojects at one edge beyond the edges of the side pieces to constitutean offset or shoulder, 13. The inner edge of the side pieces, at the endportion opposite the extension 11, are provided with a series ofnotches, 14, sothat when the legs or standards are spread and the sidepieces are uppermost, as in Fig. 1,

the round 6 of the legs engages one of the notches of each side piece,thus constituting a bench for supporting a wash tub or a table orplatform for any appropriate purpose. If

it is desired to change the height of this table be at its highestelevation, while it can be lowered by changing the round 6 'to any ofthe notches toward the connecting-round 9 of the side pieces. Byinverting the structure from the position shown in Fig.1 to that shownin Fig. 3, bringing the side pieces against the floor, the rounds 4 and5 are brought uppermost, and serve as a support for an ironingboard, 15,the said board being preferably inserted under the round 4 and restingupon the round 5. The height of the ironing-board can be changed byadjusting the round 6 into the proper notches in the side pieces, whichobviously spreads the legs farther apart or brings them nearer together,according to the adjustment required.

The parts are converted into a step-ladder by simply folding the legstogether, as in Fig. 2, to bring the round 4 under the offset orshoulder 13 of the step 12, the notched extremities of the side piecesthen resting on the floor, and the legs and side pieces standing at anangle to each other, as clearly shown in Fig. 2. The round 4 comingunder the offset of the step 12, all the parts are effectually bracedand the step ladder held in a rigid condition, with no liability ofaccidental disarrangeinent. The several steps of the side pieces arearranged obliquely to the plane of the edges of the side pieces, so thatwhen the structure is adjusted, as described, to produce a ladder, thesteps will present horizontal flat surfaces for the feet. By disengagingthe round from the notches the legs and side pieces can be foldedcompactly together, and thus occupy but little space.

I am aware that a wash-bench has heretofore been constructed in! suchmanner that it could be converted into a step-ladder; but I am not awarethat such has been effected by the construction and arrangement ofdevices shown and described by me.

I therefore claim as my invention and desire to secure by LettersPatent- 1. The combination of the pairs of pivoted legs 1 and 2,provided at their extremities,

respectively, with the bars or rounds 4 and 7,

extension 11, which is provided with the step 12, extending beyond theinner edges of the 15 side pieces to provide the offset 13, under whichthe bar or round 4: of the legs is capa ble of engaging to support theparts in position for a step-ladder.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set 20 my hand this 9th day ofAugust, 1883.

JAMES S. NELSON.

\Vitnesses:

HENRY MILLWARD, CHASE STEWART.

